A Heart's New Beginning
by Johanna the Sponge
Summary: Vitani thought Simba would banish her and the others to the Outlands again, but he didn't. She gets another chance to start again, she starts friendships and even a family, and Kopa begins visiting her in dreams. About more char. than description says. :
1. Vitani's Welcoming

Starting Over Again-Chapter 1, Vitani's Welcoming

Vitani had mostly expected Simba to banish her and the others from the Pride Lands. They had all fought beside her own mother, Zira, against the lions of Pride Rock, but lost. They would have to go back to the sun burned savanna which they were banned to because of Simba's uncle, Scar, but Simba had decided to give them a second chance after they stood against Zira, who realized her wrongness.

And the outcasts were welcomed in like old friends. Vitani's brother, Kovu, was in love with Simda's own daughter, Kiara, and Simba, Nala, and the future leaders of the Pride Lands stood at the mouth of the rock and roared the roar of power and love together. All of the lions behind them joined in, including Vitani who felt out of place.

And then there was Nala, Simba's wife and queen of the Pride Lands. At the beginning of the bloody battle, Vitani had made a rude comment to Nala about Kiara, beginning their own personal fight. So after the old and new lions had had their welcoming into the tribe, Vitani couldn't look intoo the eyes of Nala, but Nala felt differently.

"Would you like me to show you the hunting lands? I know that your tribe used to live with us, but that was before you and Kovu were born," said Nala, approacing Vitani with a friendly smile.

"Er, yes please," mumbled Vitani nervously.

Together, they leaped off of the large rock and began tracking the the grass lands. After minutes of silence and Vitani's lack of eye contact, Nala noticed and spoke to her.

"Is something wrong, Vitani?" she asked quietly, nudging her shoulds softly. Vitani looked up in surprise.

"You-you remembered my name," she said in awe.

"Yes, I still remember when you and your brother were born. Even though your mother didn't keep track with us and our new cubs, Simba was always able to inform us with yours'. Even after Scar's followers left with Zira, Simba was very loving towards you, even if he didn't show it in your mother's, er, 'meetings', said Nala. Vitani had never known that the original lions of the Pride Lands still loved them, at least not Simba.

"I...I didn't know that," she muttered looking down again feeling full of shame. She had never given any respect to Simba before now, thinking that he hated them all for following Scar. But she _had _been taught by Zira not to love Simba. She felt angry with her mother; they could have all easily gotten along and stayed at Pride Rock in the first place if it hadn't been for her loyalty to Scar and hunger for power. And many lions had had to suffer for her actions, mainly Vitani and Kovu.

"Yes, it's hard to believe that a single lion could have so much love and forgiveness to others," said Nala, obviously thinking beyond her conversation.

"I know."

"Vitani, you seem so sad. Please, what is wrong?" asked Nala again.

"He-Simba-gave us all a second chance. I-I just can't believe it. And you. I thought you would hate me after the fight," said Vitani quietly, still not looking into Nala's eyes.

"No, grudges and hatred is all a waste of time. If you don't mind my saying so, Zira kept us all hating wach other because of a grudge. But no, I do not wish to hate you. You were remaining loyal to your mother and to your tribe and I'm pround of that. We need loyal lions in the Pride Lands," said Nala in a motherly fashion, then nudged Vitani's shoulder.

"Hey, I know that you and Kovu will probably suffer the most because of all this war. It's all you've ever known, but we can change that, okay? And remember that you have just as much right to be here than anybody," said Nala.

Vitani grinned at her.

"Thanks, Nala. But nobody's going to see me suffer or get anywhere near it!" she said proudly. Vitani had always beed the though one, the one who always got along with the people she was supposed to and always gone with the plan with more enthusiasm than anyone.

"That's my girl," said Nala smiling at her then looking ahead.

When she said this, Vitani began to wonder if Nala was going to become the mother she never had. They were closer in years than Kiara and Kovu were, but Nala seemed like she would be a friend and a mother to Vitani. And she liked the new way. Vitani could finally start over.

**Author's Note: I hope all you Lion King lovers like this story; it's going to be about the life of Vitani from the time Simba welcomed them into the tribe to, er, some time after that, haha! Please review! *ROAR!***


	2. Vitani's Dream

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 2, Vitani's Dream

_Vitani woke up to a familiar voice outside the cave of Pride Rock. The rest of the Pride slept on, but she could not sleep because of the voice. She wanted to get up and follow the voice, but she was frozen to the spot despite the warm air. _

_The voice was saying things from Vitani's cubhood, things that only she and a friend knew. She felt that she could have run the territory of the whole Pride Lands because of her excitement if only she could move. Finally, Vitani pushed as hard as she could and stood up._

_There was a lion sitting at the mouth of the cave. He was only a cub, and guessing from instinct, in Vitani's mind, it looked a lot like Simba would when he was a cub. She took a step forward, and without looking back, the cub stood up and walked out of the cave to the edge of the rock, overlooking the Pride Lands. Vitani followed again._

_She crept up behind the lion cub, and she knew._

_Kopa turned around and faced her. A single tear fell out of Vitani's eye and Kopa grinned a grin that she remembered so much. Her best friend looked at her intently._

_"Kopa! Oh, you don't know how much I've missed you! Why didn't you come back sooner? And why are you still little?" asked Vitani. She had so many questions for the lion she had missed so much._

_"Hey, Vitani!" he said in his young voice. "I've missed you too, but I've been watching you the whole time. I didn't show myself to you because I wanted to wait until you came back to the Pride Lands. I knew that my father, Simba, would let you come back eventually."_

_"How did you know that?" asked Vitani, confused._

_"I've been watching him all this time, and I knew he'd let you. I've watched my mother too, and Kiara. I do wish that I could have met her when I was here," said Kopa._

_"So why are you still little?"_

_"Vitani, I'm...you know I'm dead," he said quietly. "But I'm with Mufasa, I'm fine."_

_"Kopa, I need you. If you hadn't died, well, we never ould have been bannished," said Vitani. Kopa sighed._

_"Vitani, I've come back only to you. My father and mother, we were close too, but you were my best friend ever. I always promised myself that I'd come back to you when you came back to Pride Rock, and I want to keep seeing you until-until then," said Kopa looking into her eyes._

_"Until when?" asked Vitani, but Kopa was dissolving._

_"Until I decide. I'll be back Vitani, soon. I love you," said Kopa. Vitani outstretched her front legs and swiped at him with her paws, but the rest of his body dissapeared. _

_"Don't go!" But she was alone._

"Vitani, wake up! We're need to get going if you want to see the rest of the Pride Lands that we didn't cover yesterday!" said Nala, nudging Vitani with her nose.

"Okay, I'm coming," she said sleepily.

"Were you dreaming?" asked Nala, smiling.

"Yes, I was."

"What was it about?"

"Um, someone we both know very good. I'll tell you another time, I'm still trying to recover," said Vitani. She was very good at faking things, and she made it look like the dream had scared her, even though it hadn't. She might tell Nala in the future, but not now, not if it didn't happen again.

Vitani walked out of the cave with Nala. Nala led the way down off the rock, Vitani following, but Vitani looked back at the edge of the rock where in her dream, she and Kopa had stood together again, and she tried to imagine him again.

**Author's Note: I know this is a short chapter, but it needs to be covered this way, and I couldn't think of other ways to make te dream longer; Kopa just told her the main things, like every dream does. And yes, Kopa will return to her again! Please review! :]**


	3. Shegro

A Heart' New Beginning-Chapter 3, Shegro

Vitani had become _very _well liked at Pride Rock. She was very humerous (she had probably kept all of her humor inside when she lived in the Outlands because her mother just didn't take it) because of her sarcasm (it never seemed to hurt anybody anyway, not even the lions that she used it towards; they thought it was funny as well) and because she got along with everybody.

She thought that it would just wear off soon because she was new in the Pride and because all of the original lions were trying to make the new ones feel good, but she soon found that they really _did _like her. These..._Pride _lions, they loved differently. Vitani had always been taught not to show her love to anyone but close family, and to keep it hidden inside. But the Pride lions, they were taught to show love to _anyone,_ and not to hide it. They were so very nice and kind to everybody they met, and Vitani felt proud to finally be one of them.

Vitani had made great friends with Kiara and Nala, but out of the two of them, mainly Nala. She hadn't remembered much that Nala had cared for her when she was a cub. When Zira and Scar's followers were banned from the Pride, Zira had begged Simba to keep Vitani and Kovu with the Pride until they were older so that they would survive. There was no food in the Outlands, and the cubs would obviously starve. But when the cubs had grown old enough to live off of milk, or they were just plain strong enough, Zira returned for them.

But now Vitani had friends, and more than that, family. A _real_ family. She still wondered if she would find a mate and even have cubs. Just the thought of cubs seemed scary to her. But all the mother lions in the Pride hardly took interest in other things than their cubs for the first week or so, and still then they wanted everything to do with them. Also, Vitani liked to play with the cubs lots of times that she was with them. Even some of the mothers asked her to help them train because of her great hunting skills.

But she would still have to find a mate first.

Today there would be no hunts. Most of the lions would lay in the sun and just enjoy the cool autum's breeze on the large Pride Rock. The cubs would gang up and play and their mothers would watch them from above on the Rock. Most of the males would check the boundaries or stay with their wives on the Rock. But Vitani had spent a life-time doing nothing but train and she was all full of energy. She would go out.

She lept off the Rock and onto the grass that swirled around her. Soon, Pride Rock was just a dot behind her in the distance and she was alone to listen to the singing birds and rustling of the grass. Then, out of nowhere with a burst of energy, Vitani began to run, and then sprint, until she felt even faster than a cheetah. Her muscles stretched and her skin wrinkling. She was flying now, across the savanna, and back towards Pride Rock. She felt as if nothing could stop her, ever. She screamed and yelled at the top of her voice, she was so happy and excited.

Vitani burst through the tallest weeds and into the clearing of the water-hole. Without looking where she was speeding, she crached into something large, larger than herself, drinking from the water. They tumbled a few yards, twisted with each other. As soon as they stopped, Vitani jumped backwards and a growl errupted inside her throat which soon turned into a huge roar.

She glared at him and scanned him up and down. He was a large male lion with a dark, amberish brown mane, with even darker brown right under his chin. He was muscular and strong, but nothing Vitani couldn't take on herself. His shoulders bulged and his paws were at least three times the size of Vitani's. He had green eyes, too. But none of this was what shocked Vitani, it was his hair. The part of his mane on the very top of his mane were three spikes. They _were_ part of his mane hair, but they stook up higher than any other part of the mane which were just as smooth as all the other male lions in the Pride. This was _weird_.

"Who are you?" growled Vitani, not any kindness in her voice.

"I don't have to report to you. But if you have to know, I'm a rogue," he said in a voice very much like Kovu's, although a little deeper.

"And why are you drinking from _our_ watering-hole? I suppose you've been stealing our prey as well?" said Vitani, eyes full of pure hatred.

"No, I haven't been _stealing_ prey, and yes, I _have_ beengetting a drink. And tell me, what do you mean by _our _water-hole and_ our_ prey? I only see you," he added smuggly.

"Oh, so you think I have some imaginary friends that share the water-hole with me? Is it just..._us_?" snapped Vitani a little meaner than either of them expected.

"Well, you'd probably _have _to make up imaginary friends. No one would want to stick around you too long," he said, just as mean as Vitani.

"And why would that be?"

"I hate to brake it to you, but I've seen prettier baboon butts before," said the male, not realizing that he had just gone too far. In fact, he did realize it, but that was after Vitani had roared again and leaped on top of him. She growled right in his face, but before she could bite or tear at him, a large group of lions (The original Pride and the new ones) followed by Simba burst through the grass.

"Vitani!" shouted Simba with mixed awe at her pinning the male lion down and worry in his voice. Vitani gave one last growl at him in his face and leapt of to the side to stand in front of Simba.

"This...piece of vermin-"

"Well _excuse_ me, ug-"

"Call me that one more time and I _will_ rip out your throat," murmered Vitani quiet enough that only he could hear it.

"Anyway, this vermin was drinking from _our Pride's _water! I guessed that he's stealing prey too," continued Vitani glaring at him as she spoke to Simba.

Instead of responding to Vitani, Simba turned to the rogue and he got up off the ground.

"Who are you and why have you come here?" asked Simba with a reasonable voice.

"My name's Shegro. I came from a long way off, and it's been all I can do to survive. This is the first place in days that I've had any water, and that's a fact. If I had known that any other lions owned this territory, I wouldn't have took any prey, so I appologize for taking a rabbit," said Shegro very convincingly. Vitani had to admit (though in her head) that Shegro hadn't been doing anything to her or anybody else, but still.

"So...have you come from another Pride?" asked Simba.

"No, I lived near humans with my mother who separated with her Pride ages ago when I was born," said Shegro.

"Humans?" asked a few lions, including Simba.

"Yes. They're like, really advanced animals that walk upright. They're really similar to monkeys," he said, and Vitani could tell that he wanted to laugh at the thought of these 'humans'.

"What has become of your mother?" asked Simba.

"She died while we were traveling. I woke up one day, and she was just..._gone._ I know she left me and went to die so that I could move on. The lack of water nearly killed us both," he said, and he _did_ look starved and dehydrated.

"Well, I hope you are truthful. I'll welcome you into the Pride, if you like," said Simba, and Vitani's eyes widened, her jaw dropping. It just wasn't fair! Letting some rogue in the Pride. It was like letting in a whole Pride of it's own!

But then Vitani remembered that Simba had done the same for the outsiders. He had given them another chance at life, and this 'Shegro' probably needed it if he was to live. But she still didn't think she could get along with him.

Shegro dipped his head and walked in front of Simba and the other lions led to Pride Rock. Simba hung back with the still thinderstruck Vitani.

"He didn't hurt you, right?" he askedd and Vitani shook her head.

"No. But I think he would be in bad shape if you had come any later," she said.

"Vitani, I had doubts about you at first, you being Zira and Scar's daughter and all, and I appologize. I should not have judged you for your parents crimes. But now I have seen your loyalty to the Pride, and I'll tell you that I have nothing against you whatsoever anymore. You are your own person, Vitani, and don't forget it, okay?" said Simba. Vitani mearly nodded as they walked.

Vitani trusted and believed in Simba with all of her damaged heart, but she had a different feeling about Shegro and ahe didn't know if it was a good feeling, or a bad one.

**Author's Note: I really hope every one likes it! Oh, and I'll explain some more in the next chapter about Shegro's hair, if your're all wondering. And thanks everyone for reviewing! If any of you are interested in HP, check out my other fics. I'll soon have some more LK fics, too. :D **

**P.S. I appologize if any chapters have the title 'Inner Voice of the Pride Lands'. That was the first name, I forgot I changed it, so some may still say that. I'll try and change it.**


	4. Into the Pride and Kopa's Visit

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 4, Into the Pride and Kopa's Visit

The group of lions ascended the steps up to Pride Rock's cave. Every lion other than the group was already inside the cave either grooming their cubs, talking with each other, or eating a late meal. The group lay down in their usual spots except for Simba and Shegro. When eyes met the new Pride lion, they gasped and their eyes widened.

"Is he a prisoner?" asked many.

"No," said Simba, calming them down with one look. "He was getting a drink at the watering-hole when Vitani found him." (At this, everyone looked confused: they couldn't see how he wasn't a prisoner for that.) "He said that his mother disbanded from her Pride when he was a cub and they began to travel. She died on the way, and he nearly starved. He obviously didn't know that there was a Pride here, and only took a rabbit."

Some lions were still wondering about if he was a prisoner, some were wary. Even some of the old outsiders looked like they wouldn't like it much if a rogue was let into the Pride. Only a few of them, Kovu, and Vitani remembered what Simba had done for them.

"I _have_ welcomed him into our Pride. I _don't _believe this is an ambush of any kind, there aren't any other lions in the area," said Simba eyeing Shegro as if making sure he told the truth and that it _wasn't_ an ambush. He had had expierience with those before, by someone in his very Pride now. But Shegro shook his head and Simba continued.

"He is welcome. In case any of you are thinking anything about letting a rogue in, just remember back a few months. And anyway, all lions _are one_, and what would he do if we didn't share with him? Yes, he would die, and _that _is not nescessary. He is ours now, so please treat him that way."

Every lion nodded, understanding. Vitani wouldn't have had any problem at all with a new lion coming into the Pride, but this particular one, well, she didn't know yet.

"What is his name?" asked a few of the males.

"It's Shegro," said Shegro dipping his head in respect to them.

"Well, we can sure do with another anytime!" said someone from the back. As many lions got up to greet him and introduce theirselves, Vitani saw Kovu in the crowd. He walked up to Shegro and bowed his head. Vitani could hear what he was saying.

"It's good to have you here. And trust me, I _know_ how you feel now, so does Vitani," said Kovu nodding to the side towards his sister before walking back to his spot on the raised rock behind Simba and Nala's spots.

Vitani heard Shegro say, "Oh, so _that's_ the baboon's name, is it?" and she would have pounced, but her friend from the Outlands, Nazari, walked in front of her and lay down next to her.

"He's a good-looking one, isn't he?" Nazari giggled quietly to Vitani.

"Not now, not ever," she reponded. "I've seen baboon butts that are prettier."

And she glared at him one more time before drifting off to sleep.

_Vitani was frozen to the spot again in her place inside the cave. Finally, she forced herself to roll over again and look outside. Kopa was sitting on the edge again, looking out towards the lands that he would have ruled with Vitani if only he had lived._

_Vitani pushed herself up and walked out to lay down next to the cub, her front legs stretched out in front of her. Silently, Kopa walked to her and settled in between her legs. She licked him on top of his head and he looked up at her his those eyes of his. _

_"It's good to see you again, 'friend'," he said with his playful little voice. _

_"You too, Kopa," said Vitani laughing quietly. He had always put an emphasis on the word 'friend' as if pretending that she really wasn't._

_After a few moments, Vitani remembered a question she had wanted to ask him after her first dream._

_"Kopa?"_

_"Uh-hu?"_

_"Why do these dreams seem so real to me if it just...well, a dream?" she asked. The dreams did seem very real, and she remembered the last one as if it had happened._

_"Err, I can't tell you that _now,_ but I will eventually," he said shyly. "So, I see you've got a new lion in the Pride, huh?" asked Kopa thoughtfully. _

_"Ha, yeah, _Shegro_," said Vitani with a look of utter disgust. "Know it all," she thought to herself._

_"I know how you think of him, Vitani, but at least try. Get to know him a bit," said Kopa with a convincing voice._

_"And exactly _why_ would I do that?"_

_"Just do it for me, all right? Listen, my dad knows what he's doing and it would probably mean something to him if you got along with Shegro, and anything that means something to my dad, means something to me. Also, the Pride-Landers have tried _their_ best to know you!" he said._

_"Fine, I'll_ try_. Maybe," she muttered._

_"Plus, I led him here," said Kopa inocently._

_If looks could kill...but then again, it they wouldn't exactly work on Kopa._

**Author's Note: Sorry it's a short one, but I didn't want to put **_**too**_** much in it. Anyways, next part has Shegro, so keep reading, er...**_**vigurously!**_** (Sorry, my spelling stinks, and that doesn't look right...)**

**And to 'Starzinmieyez', yes, your're probably right, but they have to hate each other now. Keep reading though, there will be more than just that.**

**To '**johny2bp**' thanks so much! I'll try and do my best, the only story I won't be finishing is my Pirates of the Caribbean one, I just don't have time for it. But yes, I won't quit on my stories, so trust me. And everyone else, I'm trying to get a chapter done a day. Enjoy!**


	5. Simba's Talk and Mohawks

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 5, Simba's Talk and Mohawks

Vitnai woke at dawn, the pinkish color of the morning filling the cave. She stood and stretched her back and turned her neck left and right, popping it into place. She then bounced quietly out of the cave in a very cub-like way and threw her head up into the air, eyes closed, on the edge of the rock overlooking the Pride Lands. The breeze rustled her fur, and her neck fur and bangs swirled the most around her. The dark and shadowed parts around her eyes even seemed to brighten up in the morning light.

After a few moments of standing on the edge and feeling the good breeze with eyes closed the whole time, she whipped around after hearing another lion. Behind her stood Simba, obviously imagining the same thing as she, his beautiful mane slowly swirling around him too.

"Good morning," he said with that mischeifous grin and smile he used to give Nala and Kiara all of the time, his golden eyebrows raised.

"Oh, morning Simba," said Vitani. She always talked nervously around him, not knowing if it was because he was King, or because she felt in eternal debt to him for welcoming them into the Pride.

"So, let's talk a bit about Shegro," said Simba as he walked around her to the very edge. He settled down with his paws hanging over the edge.

"Er, okay then," said Vitani. She had known that he wanted to talk to her about it and kind of dreaded it. She stood over Simba watching him, and he nodded his head to the side, gesturing for her to come lay next to him. She walked over and lay beside him, fur brushing up against each other.

"First things first," he began, "Shegro didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, he didn't. But if you had come any later, I might have hurt him," said Vitani and Simba laughed. _Well, he did hurt me physically, but I'm not going to tell you _that_!_ she added in to herself.

"Well, that's good. I am still so glad your're showing your loyalty to the Pride," said Simba.

"I-I've never really had anything to show my loyalty to, unless you count my mother and father. I want to make it count," she said sadly. A while back, she had wanted nothing more than to prove herself to her mother and earn her love. She also wanted to make her father, Scar, very proud of her. She was angry at Kovu for going against them, and for going against Scar, who he had so wanted to avenge, but after some thought, she realized that Scar wasn't even his father and he had nothing to prove to the dead lion. But Vitani _still_ felt that she owed Scar, even if she wasn't on his side anymore.

"I'm very glad to have someone like that in my Pride, Vitani, and I know that you mean it," said Simba.

"I-I know that Zira and Scar were evil and full of hate, but they were my parents and nothing can ever change it. I will always love them no matter what because they're my parents. I still wish I couldn't have proven worthy of my father, though," said Vitani. She hoped Simba didn't get mad at her for saying this, and change his mind about her being loyal.

"I know. My father is dead too, and I still feel like I never got to prove myself to him, but I know he loves me. And even though Scar was evil, he still had the ability to love those closest to him, and he would have been proud of you. I know if _I _were your father, I would be prouder than any other lion," said Simba smiling down at her. Vitani looked up in surprise, her mouth half open at his response and a tear rolling out of her eye.

"Well, about Shegro," said Simba. "He seems to have had a pretty bad background life, and I think we need to all show him love to make it up."

"I suppose," was all Vitani could say through gritted teeth.

"That's why I want you to take him out today and introduce him to the Pride Lands," said Simba as he turned his head away from her so as not to reveal his grin. She gaped at him, opening and shutting her mouth several times with no sound coming out. Finally she gave up trying to get him to look back at her (she thought he was pretending to look at something interesting in the grasslands before him) and got up and turned towards the cave.

At once, all the lions except Shegro came out and split into hunting groups, or for other reasons. Vitani went inside after they all made their way out to find Shegro laying on the stone floor. He was looking straight at the wall. Both front paws were up to his head, and his claws unsheathed. His eight claws rans through his hair carefully and slowly, parting the ways into many peices which all stood up. Vitani supposed that doing that was how he made his hair the way it was.

"Why do you wear your hair like that?" said Vitani, eyes reduced to slits and a look of disgust on her face. Shegro's head dipped down slowly and made it's way pointing in Vitani's direction.

"Because, in the human world, it's cool. It's called a mohawk," he said in an sighy voice.

"We're not _in _the human world, feather-brains," said Vitani, rather proud of herself for her good comeback. Earlier it had seemed that it would be easy to start over and get along with him when she had her talk to Simba, but that feeling had vanished very quickly.

"Yeah, well, so what, dung-face? Anyway, I'm the only lion who does it, right? And I like it and I _don't_ need your permission," he said just aas coldly.

"Simba told me to take you out today to show you the Pride Lands," said Vitani, thinking of herself as much more mature than him. Shegro took his time and stretched, finally getting up slowly.

"Okay," he said in that same sighy voice. "But I bet _you_ asked him if you could. I see that some others seem to like me alright. Perhaps even your brother."

"Shut up and follow me now. And no, I _did not_ ask to, I personally cannot stand you," she said leading him out of the cave. As they walked out, she muttered, "Prat" and he muttered, "Rat, sat, nat, bat, cat. Yeah, they all rhyme". It sounded as if he was answering a question. Vitani gaped (still looking ahead) and wondering about Shegro's own stupidity and what it was supposed to mean.

**Author's Note: Hope you all like it! Sorry it stopped there, but I'm having lots of requests to update quickly, so there you go. Also, I've been very busy lately from school to tornadoes to protesting. Please Review!**


	6. Pure Hate On the EdgePart 1

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 6, Pure Hate On the Edge/Part 1

As days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, Vitani seemed to hate Shegro more with every ounce of her being. She wished that he and his stupid 'Mohawk' would just leave the Pride alone and give her some peace. And she was sure that he _would _have to leave if he was doing wrong, but that was just the problem: he seemed perfect. He never got any of the Pride's rules wrong. He learned super fast and was at the top of everything. Plus (to Vitani's disgust) everyone liked him and almost worshipped him. Vitani thought she would puke.

Simba was also ordering them to spend more time together in the Pride Lands hunting and doing anything else that needed to be done. Shegro didn't seem to have a problem with it (even if he did, he wouldn't show it becasue that would get him chucked out of the Pride for sure) but he wasn't exactly 'friends' with Vitani. He had been doing annoying things like his rhyming all the time which made her feel like she would explode with her inner angst. Various times she hot him over the head with her paw, but he didn't dare hit her back.

Shegro seemed to watch Vitani a lot too. She didn't know if he was itching to call her something ugly again, but she figured that he knew if he did, he'd probably be killed by her bare claws. And they _were_ sharp.

A particular cool morning when the sun tried to bulge through a cloud without any success, Simba asked Vitani to show Shegro the Outlands for the first time. Vitani felt like she had finally had enough of the stupid lion and almost let her temper get away from her. But she kept calm. She bowed her head to Simba, turned from him, rolled her eyes, and went to get Shegro.

An hour later (After Shegro had to redo his 'Mohawk') the two lions stalked through the high grass of the savannas shivering. At least after a mile of walking with Pride Rock in the distance behind them, the reached the border between the Outlands and Pride Lands. The deserted, bare, and vast Outlands looked so different from the lush Savannas. It seemed that when it ever rained in the Pride Lands, the rain stopped when it reached the Outlands becasue it was dry and cold when they stepped across the border.

Vitani's face fell and she looked across the land with sad eyes and a half open mouth. Shegro seemed to notice.

"What is it?" he said simply. She seemed to forget her anger and hate towards him for a moment.

"I-I grew up here," she said quietly not looking at Shegro.

"_What?_" he said increduously. "Wait, I thought you were a real Pride lion!" She normally would have torn off anyone's head who said that to her, but she seemed in a trance.

"I, I am, really. My mother Zira was in love with my father Scar, but Scar died. Simba's son, Kopa, dissapeared and Simba blamed Zira and her followers, bannishing them to the Outlands. There was no food for us here, so Kovu and I stayed with Nala until we grew up a bit. We were still cubs when we came here, but old enough to begin training. We trained hard. Mother was evil, but she was still our mother, even out here in this termite infested dung-hole."

"Then there was a battle and Zira fell off a cliff into the river. Kiara tried to save her, but she fell. Simba let us all have another chance at life in the Pride when we stood against Zira. Now we live in the Pride where we belong."

"Isn't Scar Simba's uncle?" asked Shegro. At this moment, Vitani snapped out of her trance, wheeling on him.

"Yes," she spat. "Why are you talking to me, you imp?" she said with anger, forgetting that she had been talking to him the whole time. Shegro seemed to understand that he shouldn't argue with this particular female, so he said-

"I wasn't. Sorry." He looked at the ground. When he returned his gaze upward, he found that Vitani was already a few yards ahead and he had to run to catch up to her.

The pair of lions walked another mile into the Outlands. Their paws ached after a while becasue of the the tough earth beneath with many splinters and thorns in it. Their fur was clouded too, changing the color becasue the ground was dry and dusty. Vitani was a few yards in front of a cave with termite hills covering it. She stooped into a hunting crouch with her rear in the air and Shegro stood watching at how much of an amazing looking hunter she was. She suddenly pounced, flying across the air, onto a skinny fallen tree truck , standing with her head in the air. She leaped down and began biting and pulling on a very short root in the ground, but let go quickly looking at it with a sad face.

"What?" asked Shegro again, and again Vitani forgot her hate towards him.

"There was a certain day when Mother and Kovu were out. I was here with my stupid imp of a brother, Nuka. It was tugging at this root here and it wouldn't come loose. Nuka unsheathed a claw and cut it in half causing me to fly backwards. That was the day Kovu met Kiara and Mother came up with her brilliant plan for Kovu which ended up killing her."

"I'm sorry you have those bad memories of your cub-hood, Vitani. Also about your brother being mean to you," said Shegro in a soft voice and wide eyes. He suddenly walked over to Vitani and nuzzled her chin. She jumped back in disgust.

"What _ARE _you doing, you, you demon? Get AWAY!" screamed Vitani with an angry face. She decided that she better not claw his stomach out though.

"S-sorry, Vitani, I was just trying to make you feel a bit better!" said Shegro, his voice scared, sorry, and raspy at the same time. He stood with his jaw hanging.

"DON'T call me by my NAME!" screamed Vitani.

**Author's Note: I know this is REALLY short and a stupid ending, but it's only part of the chapter. I'll get the rest soon. I would like suggestions on something though, from everyone. What other names could I get Vitani to call Shegro? I'm running out. Yeah, I know that's sad, but oh well. This is also for kids if they want, and I can't call Shegro many things that I call my sister, so suggest 'nicer' stuff. But do review! :D**


	7. Pure Hate On the EdgePart 2

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 7, Pure Hate On the Edge/Part 2

"DON'T call me by my NAME!" screamed Vitani. Shegro jumped back into a dead and shriveled up bush as she tried to clout him over the head with an outstretched paw. He was too fast for her though, and after she missed him, she turned to hide her face.

After a few moments, Shegro came out of his bush and they started walking deeper into the Outlands in silence. They passed many more termite mounds and dead plants that had been scorched by the sun. The dead roots twisted in a funny way, and that's just how they had grown: funny. Shegro playfully bagan slicing the roots as he passed, but stopped abruptly when Vitani glared evilly at him.

They came to the edge of a large cliff. They would either have to go back the way they came, or cross a particular nasty swamp and climb to the top of the cliff. Shegro gestured with his head, letting Vitani go first, but she didn't need telling at all. She was already half-way across the muddy rocks.

Then Shegro noticed something. This was the place Kovu and Kiara had met playing, he had heard lions talk about it. And the muddy rocks, well, they weren't rocks but none other than fifty dirty crocodiles.

"H-hey!" he shouted at Vitani nervously, but she ignored him and kept walking.

"Vitani! They're not rocks!" he screamed even more loudly and more nervous. She whipped around to face him, and after sinking her claws into the crocodile dangerously, she noticed it began to move slowly underneath her.

"W-what?" she skrieched, eyebrows raised in a scared manner. The crocodile got faster, and eventually stuck his head out of the water roaring at Vitani. The others awakened too, all turning to her and Shegro. He suddenly bounded across them with a burst of energy, his mane bouncing and flying in all directions, and clawed the crocodile which Vitani stood in the eye. He roared his crocodile roar louder in pain now, and began snapping ferociously at the air.

"Vitani, GO!" screamed Shegro and she nodded briefly and turned, running across the moving crocodiles. She stopped and could hear Shegro fighting with the others, but knew that he was advancing her at the same time. Vitani continued moving along the monsters quickly and easily, but when she reached her last one, it moved as fast as it could out of the water and Vitani fell off sideways into the grimy water.

She didn't know what to do. She had never had never been in water before, and was unaware that she could use her larg paws to swim out of the water. She was in fact_ moving_ them, but vary vigerously and in all directions. She began to sink under the water, unable to move her legs and paws much more, due to exhaustion. In the background, she could he the faint roar of a crocodile, then one from Shegro, a slash of clash cutting open both lion and crocodile flesh, and the unsuccessful snap of three foot long jaws. She began to loose conscienceness and finally sank beneath the surface.

As the life seemed to flow from Vitani and bubbles began issuing from her nose and mouth, sharp jaws grabbed her neck, waking her. Her eyesight was very fuzzy and she was unable to see the crocodile that was trying to kill her, but she began to fight blindly. She kicked behind her with her hind legs and tried to as much as scrath her attacker, but ran out of air once more and drifted off into unconscienceness again.

"Wake up, Vitani, please, WAKE UP!" screamed a faint voice nearby. It seemed familiar. Vitani did not wish to wake up though, she felt very peaceful. She was warm and laying on such a soft nest, she could have sworn it was made of clouds. Her surroundings were completely dark and she couldn't see a thing, but this was exactly like she liked it when she was sleeping.

_No, I don't think I will, thanks, _she thought to herself as she heard the voice again, and smiled inside her brain, drifting back off to sleep. But the voice grew louder and more desperate and she knew she could no longer ignore it.

With a great difficulty, Vitani lifted her eyelids and saw a sopping wet Shegro standing above her, a single tear rolling out of his eye and down his cheek. He quickly swiped it away with his paw when he saw her eyes open, but he didn't think she noticed, she had faked so well.

"Vitani, thank goodness your're alive!" he exclaimed excitedly, bouncing around as far as the cliff's edge. Somehow, Shegro and Vitani had appeared at the top of the cliff off which they had come.

"W-what happened to me?" asked Vitani drearyly.

"Well, the last I saw of you was falling of that crocadile and into the water. I had to fight them off so hat you could swim to the edge, but I could hear that you had never swum before and that you didn't know how. I clawed the eyes of the nearest crocadile and dove into the water after you. It took a while to find you in that water though, it's so swampy."

"When I saw you, I grabbed your neck. Rigth then, a crocadile under water tried to bite my legs and I sunk my teeth into your necks accidentely. I wasily kicked the thing away, they are so dumb, but you started struggling with me, kicking and scratching me. I didn't think I could hold on any longer when you lost conscienceness."

"Then, with a lot of work, I brought you back across the lake and up here again. I was...so _afraid_ that you wouldn't wake up again, Vitani. I know Kovu or Simba one would kill me for letting you die, but that wasn't my main worry. I was," he stopped talking for a moment. He had been so involved in his story that he felt like he was talking to himself, and he almost admitted to her that he loved her, but stopped dead. "I was just afraid, that's all," he finished dryly, lifting his head proudly.

Very quietly, Vitani rose to her paws and sunk once more into a crouch. She sprang at Shegro, knocking him backwards onto the ground with a surprised look on her face. She pressed a paw against his throat, but gently so.

"You saved my life, Shegro, and I am very thankful for it. I do not wish to hurt you, and I will try my hardest not to be rude or mean anymore, but you cannot speak of this, or I will personally bite off your ears. You understand?" she asked, a frown on her face. He nodded three or four times, very vigerously and she let him up.

"Let's go back now then," she said turning in another direction. He stood gazing after her in awe, and when she turned and gave him an evil frown, he stood slowly and followed.

But Vitani was not frowning ahead as she did when she had looked back at him, but smiling. Something seemed to come over her, a different feeling towards Shegro, a warm feeling. A somewhat _loving_ feeling.

And then she realized it. When she had been laying back there only moments ago with her eyes closed and a warm and soft feeling erupting inside her, she realized it wasn't anything to do with anything but Shegro. Only his presence had made her feel so light, so almost _perfect._

**Author's Note: WOW! I actually wasn't expecting it to end like that! I didn't plan it out, just wrote as I went along. Please review and tell me what you think, and QUICKLY! :D**

**I know Shegro and Vitani together was a bit predictable, but oh well. I looked up Simba's family tree even before I knew Vitani's name and started watching the movies again and writing this story a few months ago, and saw Shegro on it with Vitani, and I just made up their own relationship. I hope everyone finds this story enjoyable, humerous, and plain good, but if ANY of you don't just let me know, and I'll improve the best I can. Thanks! :)**


	8. Vitani's Thoughts

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 8, Vitani's Thoughts

The day after the crocodile attack, Vitani got up earlier than the rest of the other Pride lions and walked into the cool morning breeze outside. Instead of Simba laying on the edge of Pride Rock as usual, the lion replacing him was the swift lioness, Nala. Vitani was shocked to see her instead of their leader, but walked over to her and sat down.

Without turning to see who had snuck up on her, Nala said cheerfully, "Good morning, Vitani. Sleep well?"

"Yes, I did, thanks," she responded. Nala turned her graceful body so that she was laying towards Vitani. Vitani lay down too.

"So, I haven't talked to you in a while. How is everything?" she said.

"Like what things?" asked Vitani cautiously. Had Nala found out somehow about the crocodiles yesterday? Surely Shegro hadn't told anyone!

"Hunting patrols, border patrols, the watering whole, just the main things," said Nala. Vitani felt a great relief. She hadn't found out.

"They're great. I went on a border patrol the day before yesterday and everything was better than usual. And the hunters have been bringing in loads of zebra, I think some have migrated into the Pride Lands. The watering whole is a bit lower than usual, but nothing too important to worry about now," said Vitani breathlessly.

"Good. I was just checking up on the usuals," said Nala.

"Mmmm," said Vitani. There didn't seem like there was anything else to say.

"Okay, then," said Nala turning back to look over the Pride Lands. Vitani stood, yawned, and retreated back to the cave inside the rock. Nala hid her grin from Vitani, knowing exactly how she was feeling towards Shegro.

Vitani walked into the cave, all of the lions awake now and grooming themselves with droopy eyes. Her paws brought herself up to Shegro (Of course redoing his mohawk) without knowing and nudged him in the side hard.

"Hey, come on, I've got to show you the gorge today. Simba asked me to," said Vitani with the usual growl in he voice. He got up and followed, his mane obviously not finished.

Th pair of lions walked until they reached the edge of the gorge where their greatest and most beloved king, Mufasa, had died all those years ago. They looked down into it where the pale ground was cracked into thin chips of dirt. The two pairs of eyes rose up the side of the gorge and finally parallel to the other side where they could see a few of the left behinds from a wildebeast herd.

"Come on then," muttered Vitani to Shegro and nodding towards the floor of the gorge. They made their way down the side of the rocks on ledges, stumbling all the way. When they reached the ground at last, their paws hitting the bottom with muffled _poofs_ and dust rising around them, Vitani started forward, Shegro on her tail.

They walked for what seemed like an hour already until they went under a tunnel arching many thick feet of dried dirt and rock and connecting the two sides of the gorge together. The area inside became much shady considering the fact that sun flooding in them from both sides and the air became a bit chillier.

The pair stopped in their tracks, and lay on a cool rock resting against the wall.

"Vitani?" asked Shegro after a moment or two. His voice echoed lightly around the room.

"Hmm?" responded Vitani lifting her eyebrows in Shegro's direction.

"I just wanted to, er, say that...Vitani, I like you a lot," blurted Shegro. Vitani frowned quickly in his directionn as if she hadn't heard him correctly.

"W-what?" she said to him.

"I said I like you, I've been wanting to say it forever but you were always trying to tear me to pieces and then the crocodiles and Simba and Nala and Kovu being your brother and you cubhood and-" Shegro seemed to say this all very fast, not even stopping for a breath. Vitani, however, did not feel the urge to rip him apart. Every word that Shegro said, Vitani's frown dissapeared slightly and a light smile appeared.

"Hey, stop a second," she growled. Her smile vanished when he looked up so that he wouldn't see. He shrunk back a few inched, but Vitani gripped her teeth around his neck and pulled him back angrily.

"Look, your're a bit okay yourself, Shegro. I know you like me, I know you have for a while now. Just don't be annoying and don't get too nervous around me and you'd be a pretty cool lion," said Vitani, face lightening up a little, but still not smiling.

Shegro looked as if the largest male lion had clouted him over the head with his paw. His face showed the most of confusion, but he decided that he would do just those things that Vitani had asked of him. He felt light now, lighter than air itself. He wanted to do good things now, not just for Vitani, but for every lion in the Pride. He really felt like a part of the Pride now, more than he had felt since he was welcomed in to it by Simba that very forst day. Shegro had never felt like a part of anyone before, only except for his mother, but never a Pride, never a real family. Now that Vitani had told him what she had, he felt like a new lion, even though it was just a beginning.

Vitani felt differnt too, but in a weird and funny feeling. She felt like her muscles were going to mush and her stomach gave her a nasty feeling as if saying it was about to flip upside-down. She had been feeling like a part of a family too, ever since the Outlanders were accepted in. But now that Shegro had come to the Pride, she felt funny. She never really thought that she would even look for a mate, even though she had always loved cubs, but Shegro had seemed to change that for her. She now wanted him, wanted him more than just about anything else. She coulld tell that Shegro had the love for her or anyone else he loved that would not be allowed to ever give up. This love would always fight for those he loved with all of his heart, but also the understanding letting those others love who they wished. But he would always love them and do anything for them that they wished to be done. And Vitani cherished this more than anything else in a lion.

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I hope you are still liking the story. I know it's getting a little bit boring now, but I swere that it will be better the next couple of chapters. I know this one was short, but oh well, I'm running low on time. Please Review!**


	9. The Best News

**Yes DJ, Kopa should be seen soon, not sure when though.**

**To 5, yes, remember that Kopa wanted Vitani to get along with Shegro? He knows they are meant for each other. Anyway, how can Vitani and Kopa be together if Kopa's dead?**

**Jonny2b, yeah, I had to make some things clear and keep you guys happy while I'm dealing all this out. I know this chapter's kinda crappy.**

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 9, The Best News

Simba had finally stopped having Vitani take Shegro out to tour the Pridelands. He believed that Shegro had proved himself completely worthy of the Pride, and that he knew his way around the lands very well by now. But the pair of lions still went on hunts together, or anything else that they were told to do.

Their relationship had grown a great amount since the crocodile attack. They had hung out more together, they ate together, and to everyone's huge surprise, Vitani laughed at Shegro's jokes more than anyone. At first, the Pride had assumed that they were just growing closer as friends, but they were quickly proven wrong. The two soon became unseperable.

And then the day had come, about a year after Shegro had joined the Pride, when he asked Vitani to become his mate and wife. He had waited a long time, only making sure that she was perfectly ready for the commitment. She (of course) had said yes to him in a very unexcited manner, though her outter mood had shown much difference inside. Some of the Pride had thought that she had said yes in a very unwilling way, as to not hurt her best friend's feelings, but rumor had spread from none other than Nala herself that Vitani had been seen leaping into the air with joy near the watering hole soon after the event. And everyone listened to the Queen.

"Shegro?" asked Vitani one twilight when they were walking in the cooler autumn breeze in the tall grass.

"Yes ma-am?" said Shegro in one of his funny accents that he knew very well used to bug the crap out of Vitani.

"I was just wondering, where did you come from before you started traveling here?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, my mother and I were captured by humans when I was a cub. We were taken in these scary moving things that humans call trucks to a facility that housed wild animals like us. There were all the usual animals that are out here in the Pridelands, but also other weird animals like things I had never seen before, like weird fish called turtles and just all kinds of stuff. They called the place a 'zoo'."

"They put me and my mother inside these caves with hard things called bars keeping us in. They called them cages, but the professionals that cared for us called them 'habitats'. Everyday, loads of different people that I had never seen before came by our cages, and stared at us. Some risked putting their hands inside our cages and jeered at us with their ugly faces. I didn't like any of it at all, not the humans, not the cages, not the 'health check-ups' or the food, not at all."

"And I don't remember how I escaped. I was out cold for some reason, and I woke up in a different place from the zoo. I jumped up and roared to where all the workers backed off in fear. My mother, who done the same as me, ran after me, and somehow, I escaped. I, of course, was fully grown then."

"My mother and I traveled as far as we could before we had to stop and rest. We knew we couldn't stay there, not so close to the humans, so we traveled more, in search of our old Pride. On the way, we got lost."

"One morning when I woke up though, my mother was gone. She had told me a few days before that if she dissapeared, to go on without her. She had also said that she may not make it much longer, and I know she went away from me to die." Shegro finshed his story with a slight tremble in his voice.

"I am so sorry, Shegro, I never knew," said Vitani sadly, looking into his eyes with deep concern.

"It's all right. I mean, I found you, didn't I?" he responded cheerfully. He didn't sound sad at all, but rather happy, like everyhing bad in life benifitted in a way.

"Also, where did you learn to do your...mohawk?"Vitani laughed.

"Oh, well, that's something I learned in the zoo. I could tell the cool people from the others, they usually had other cool people in large groups surrounding them. And a lot of them had mohawks. They are pretty cool on humans too, actually!" said Shegro.

Vitani laughed.

Shegro had gone on a male lions' hunt one day and Vitani lay in the cool cave talking with her best friends from the Outlands, Nazari and Dotty. Nazari had a very dark coat much like Vitani's father, Scar, and Dotty's darker than Vitani but lighter than Nazari. Nazari happened to be the same exact age as Vitani, being born on the same day as her, and Dotty about eleven months youner than Vitani's mother, Zira. Both these lionesses had dark shadows around their eyes, a skinnier shaped body, and more ruffled fur than the Pridelanders, like most of the Outlanders, but under Dotty's left eye were many spaced dots underneath it. This made her look very unique.

"I'm so glad that I have finally found my mate," said Nazari excitedly. "And he's so _strong_ too, and beautiful, he'll be sure to make the best looking cubs around!"

"My mate died in battle as you all know, but he still visits me in my dreams and brings the cubs along," said Dotty.

"What? You had _cubs_, Dotty?" asked Vitani loudly with a large smile. "Nah..."

"Oh yes, I did. They went along a bit before Hatari, my mate, right after they were born. They were allowed out of the cave in the Outlands for the first time and died of the heat. They were twins, both little girls named Sana and Kabisa. They were my life and everything, but Hatari and I knew that they couldn't ever be harmed again. We tried to have cubs after that, but we were unable too, and he died shortly after we all joined the Pridelands."

"Wow, I never knew all of that!" said Vitani, shocked.

"Wait, wait, back to me know!" said Nazari loudly. She usually thought about herself a lot, but in a different way. If you didn't know her then you would think that she was completely self-centered, but she wasn't; she loved and cared for everyone else before herself.

"So Upesi and I have talked about having cubs, and he seems _so_ like a good father. I know he will be and I just can't wait to be surrounded by our young. He's not _as _excited as I am though, and I can't work out why," said Nazari with a slightly puzzled look as if she hadn't thought about this before.

Dotty and Vitani exchanged looks. They knew exactly why Nazari's mate, Upesi, wasn't nearly excited as Nazari. He was a warrior who was not very interested in cubs, though he would talk about them intently if he had to. But he _never_ took any notice to the cubs in the Pride, and when they bothered him, he would growl and tell them not to bother him. But the couple would never tell their best friend this. Anyway, maybe Upsesi would change by that time and would begin to feel fatherly.

"I still think Shegro would have made just the prettiest and mot precious little cubs you'd ever see," said Nazari clearly not thinking about the previous conversation only seconds ago.

"Oh, I _know _he will," said Dotty, tilting her head a little frontwards and grinning a bit in Vitani's direction and Nazari giggled excitedly. Vitani looked very confused and furrowed her brow at them.

"What, what, what is it?" asked Vitani finally in her usual anger after about a minute of silence and confusion.

"Wha-YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED?" shouted Nazari in her usual hyper excitedness.

"N-noticed _what_ exactly?" said Vitani, expressions not changing at all, though her thoughts were becoming more and more confused every moment.

"Vitani," said Dotty slowly,"You're pregnant."

Vitani sat in shock for a few seconds thinking on Dotty's crazy words. How could she be pregnant, it just didn't seem to add up, but then...

"No...it can't...how in the...but...WHAT?" screamed Vitani with horrible anger which in a split second turned into a huge grin and excited laugh. It was the exact laugh that she had heard stories of in the Pride, the laugh that Simba had given Nala that moment that they recongnized each other in Timon and Pummba's jungle. She leapted back in surprise and jumped backwards into the open out of the cave.

Vitani tried to run, but more like tumbled down the rocks very quickly doing flips and somersaults all the way. Hitting the grass and springing up without notice to her fresh scratchs and bruises and ran as fast as her muscles could make her run. It was excatly the same as the time she had felt the sudden urge to run and went faster than anything in the Pridelands. That was also the day that she met her future cub's father.

And now, now the imformation had just completely sunk in. She was going to have a cub, she would produce another being, a _living _being that would learn and love and do everything any normal lion would. It would have it's own life that Vitani or Shegro or anyone else would ever be able to feel, it would think on it's own and breath and eventually fall in love at the same age that it's parents were now. And Vitani herself would raise it to be that lion.

She skidded to a halt knowing that the Pride's males were hunting nearby. She crept her way quietly to get there and picked Shegro out of the crowd. She made her way to him without a sound, bit his ear hard, and pulled him away, warning him with his eyes to be quiet all the way.

She dragged him for a few moments until she knew their voices would not effect the hunting party and let him go. He ducked his head low, batting his bloodied ear with his large paw, and started shouting in a whisper.

"What the _bloody _heck did I _do _Vitani?" His voice was an injured desperation, his eyes watering.

"Sorry for that," she said calmly, but bursting to tell him inside.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry?" asked Shegro dumbstruck. "What do you need?"

"Shegro, I have some news for you. The _best_ news," added Vitani. For the first time, she looked down and checked her belly to see that it was swollen, and by far it was!

"What is it?" said Shegro suddenly.

"Shegro, I'm pregnant!" she said in the loudest whisper she could manage, now grinning from ear to ear.

It was as if a million fireworks had just exploded on display. Vitani was not expecting Shegro's reaction at all.

"NO WAY! OH MY GOSH, VITANI, _NO Way_!AHHHHHHH!"

His reaction was so unexplainable that no one could _ever_ in a million years describe it. It was noisy, excited, and complete and pure joy mixed together. Vitani took one glance at Shegro and joined in. She jumped at him and they rolled and rolled as far as they could go before their backs were scraped up.

They got up and walked back to the base of Pride Rock and looked at each other still laughing crazily.

"But of course I already knew you were pregnant, Vitani, I was just waiting until you did," said Shegro casually as he tried to catch his breath.

"WHAT?" shouted Vitani in his face. "Did you really?"

"NO!" laughed Shegro.

"You are so _honory!_" she screamed as she laughed more relieved.

"Yeah, yeah," said Shegro.

**Author's Note: So I've been getting a lot of reviews saying that my story is boring, but how about now? Really, I'm wondering. I hope you all liked my descriptions, I'm tried to work on that part of my writing more, and please keep your eyes open for the next chapters! (They may be a while, but please be patient with me.) Thanks guys! ;D**


	10. Maji and Hexa

**DJ: Did I say that he was in a Pride when he was younger? I can't remember...but he was. He had already gotten used to the wild.**

**5: He was never in an American zoo, he was always in Africa.**

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 10, Maji and Hexa

It had been at least three or four months after Vitani had found out about being pregnant before she was about to give birth. It started to get annoying when she couldn't do anything anymore like go on hunts and such, and even Shegro had stopped doing things as he preferred to stay with her.

This annoyed Vitani even more, seeing that he was always there, by her side at _every_ moment, waiting for something to 'happen'. When he had gone out however, you could walk in on Vitani in the cave panting hard, rolling all over the ground, or scratching her way across the floor. When Kiara asked what she was doing one day, she said that she was practically dying to move around or get out of the cave. It was harder being pregnant than she had ever imagined. Then again, those other lionesses she had watched didn't have as much energy as Vitani did...

And then on a particular starry night, she woke herself and the rest of the Pride with a huge yowl of pain. Her eyes filled with tears, and noticing this, a bunch of the lionesses gathered around her, Nala, Kiara, Nazari, and Dotty being in the front.

"Simba, please get the others out of here, mainly the guys," said Nala. Vitani didn't exactly appreciate this, she didn't want to give birth in front of _anyone._ But as she heard Simba gathering everyone, she was glad to hear Nala turn to Vitani's best friends and ask them to leave. Dotty would go, Vitani knew that, but Nazari wouldn't leave her best friend's side without putting up a good fight.

"I've got to stay! I'm just so excited!" she shouted, causing much disturbance to Vitani.

"Nazari, please, just this once, please leave," said Vitani.

"But-"

"NOW!" she screamed without meaning to. She didn't mean to be that rude, but of course, she was giving birth...

And then to make things worse, here came Shegro, bursting through the small group of lionesses and knocking over Nala and Kiara. He jumped back and forth over Vitani's over-large stomach, eyes wide as his paws, and mumbling loudly in her face.

Vitani jumped up at him, but fell over in agony.

"Shegro, leave me alone!" she yelled at him.

"Vitani, Vitnai, names, girls, boys, lions, Vitani," he muttered all together and Vitani looked at him puzzled. What was he even thinking to blurt all these random words out...?

"GET OUT, GET _OUT_, NOWWW!" She had finally lost the remainder of her patience. Shegro and Nazari realized how scared they both were of Vitani, and left loudly.

"Kiara, I guess you should go too," said Nala, getting up again.

"No, Kiara's fine," Vitani said, frustrated. Why couldn't everyone just read her mind and see what she wanted?

"Is it alright if Sarabi stays too, Vitani? We might need her..."

"Yes, she's okay too."

The three lionesses stood over her.

"Now how do you feel, Vitani?" asked Sarabi in her soothing, deepish voice. "Are you about to have the cub?"

"Yes, yes, I think so!" Her breaths were heavy now, she was barely able to breath.

"Okay Vitani, I know it's hard, but just try and calm yourself a little," said Sarabi slowly. Vitani usually would have bitten someone's head off if they told her to be calm, especially if they were saying it as she was experiencing the most painful thing a lioness could endure, but there was something about Sarabi's wise, old voice that soothed her. She began breathing deeply and relaxed her tensed shoulder muscles.

"Now, I'm going to place my paw on your stomach a small bit, and I need you to push," said Sarabi. She placed her ancient, soft paw on Vitani's lump of a stomach, and Vitani did all she could to do everything Sarabi told her to do.

It did not take long before the first small cub came.

"Is it...here?" asked Vitani in a small, quiet voice.

"Yes, it is!" said Kiara happily.

"Kiara, gently take it to Vitani," said Nala to her daughter, still looking concerned over Vitani's stomach and glancing up at Sarabi, eyebrows furrowed. "_Gently._"

Vitani lifted her head a bit to see Kiara clutching a small, furry bundle in her mouth. She set it down in front of Vitani's front legs. Vitani turned her head to the left a bit, inspecting it. She couldn't believe that she had produced something so small, so beautiful, another life. Vitani carefully wrapped a paw around it's shivering little body and pulled it close to her chest, and smiled. It was so pretty! She saw that it was a little girl, and that it looked half and half like it's parents. She was going to have Vitani's tomboyish looks and bangs, and look a lot like Vitani in the face, but with a great mixture of Shegro's face too. And his eyes...

It was then that Vitani realized there was still a small lump in her stomach.

"Vitani, there is another cub," whispered Nala into Vitani's ear. "We need you to do the same thing again."

Sarabi again placed her paw onto Vitani's stomach, and leaned onto it a little. Vitani felt the pain of labor again, and once more, it was not long before another cub came. Kiara brought it to her front paws again, and declared cheerfully that it was also a girl.

This cub was much smaller than the first one.

She was a brown color, just like Shegro. Well, actually everything about her was Shegro.

"Shegro," she murmered, not looking up from her new-born cubs. Sarabi nodded silently and left the cave, returning not half a second later with an extremely excited Shegro. He was actually jumped around, slowly making his way to Vitani with all his excitement.

"Shegro, calm down! You could step on one of them!" growled Vitani at Shegro and he immediately stopped jumped and remembered the reason why he was so happy.

"You could have married someone _normal_," muttered Sarabi into Vitani's ear as she passed, grinning.

"If only," Vitani replied, laughing.

"Kiara, let's go," said Nala as she turned to follow Sarabi back outside of the cave so that the new parents could be alone with their cubs.

"But mom, I want to-"

"Kiara, now!" she spit at her daughter. Kiara was already married and everything, yet so immature. She turned and left with the two older lionesses, pouting along the way and mumbling to herself.

Shegro got closer to them, and sniffed the new-born cubs warrily. Then he settled down next to Vitani and stared at them intently, his head on his paws. Vitani watched him too, and saw the love in his eyes.

"They're both girls," she told him after a long time of silence; the cubs had fallen asleep cuddled up to each other and still wrapped in Vitani's arms.

"They're...beautiful," said Shegro quietly, and for the first time, Vitani saw a different side of Shegro. Not just a serious side, but...she couldn't explain it. It was so loving though...

"I know," she whispered, still staring at Shegro. "They need names," she said when she finally took her eyes off her husband and replaced them on her cubs.

"Oh yeah. Anything in particular?"

"We can both name one," said Vitani.

"Hexa," said Shegro very quietly as he pointed with his large paw to the first golden cub. Vitani stared at him for a moment.

"It fits her," she said. Both lions were talking very quietly now for no good reason. They weren't exactly thinking the reason for this was to keep the cubs asleep and comfortable, they just both had in common that they liked the quiet.

"How about Maji?" asked Vitani as she looked down at the dark cub and up at Shegro again. "It means water. It sounds so...flowing."

"It's perfect," said Shegro, smiling, and Vitani grinned back at him. They both knew each others' and could see that they were the happiest two lions there had been, now with two new family members. They seemed...alone. None of their family members besides Kovu resided in the Pride, and it for some reason felt good that they were their independent little family.

Vitani placed her head down a little resting the gentlest possible on her two cubs, her bands falling into her eyes that she had shut. She felt a little nudge and knew that Shegro had placed his head leaning against hers and the cubs also.

The two now parent lions did not know how long they layed there together, their new family complete. It could have been an eternity, but every second passed slowly and was enjoyed by the two. They felt the happiest and most joyful as possible as they ever could have imagined, and didn't ever want the moment to pass, though they did in order to watch their cubs grow up into beautiful, independent, strong lions.

The couple felt like they needed to cherish these first moments together as much as they could because it would never be the same again, ever. They wanted to stay in this moment, though they knew they couldn't. They didn't want to get any older, they didn't want Hexa and Maji to grow up like them, they wanted to be like this forever in a way.

But they moment would end, and everything would change, and change was good. As Rafiki and Simba always told the Pride, change would hurt, but it would be good.

And it would change. Very abruptly.

"Do you hear that?" whispered Vitani, looking up at Shegro.

"Hear wh-"

"Shh! Listen!" she murmered, cutting off Shegro's sentence.

They both went quiet, and listened as hard as they possibly could to their surrounding. Vitani put an ear closer to her cubs. A small wheezing sound was coming from Maji. It turned into a gasping, and a bit of a cough. Her eyes were still closed and squinting, and she hadn't even tried to open them. The gasping became more, and the two realized she couldn't breath.

"Sarabi!" yelled Vitani, panicking loudly and nudging Maji. Hexa still slept. "Sarabi, hurry!"

Sarabi hurried as fast as the old lioness could run, Nala and Kiara right behind her. Nala turned back to Kiara, skidding to a halt.

"Kiara, go back!" growled Nala.

"But, Mom-"

"I said to leave! I'm not only your mother, but the Queen of the Pride! Do as I saw!" shouted Nala at her daughter. Kiara opened her mouth like she was about to protest, but turned and began to walk out of the cave. Vitani heard Simba call her name at the same time.

"What is it?" said Sarabi, out of breath and next to her, Nala making her way to the two also.

"She's breathing funny, it sounds wrong," said Shegro, worriedly, not knowing what to do.

Sarabi listened to the cub for a fraction of a second before lifting her head from her tiny chest. She then placed an ancient paw on Maji's stomach gently and pushed down a little. She repeated many times, but nothing changed. Sarabi took her paw away.

"I don't know," Sarabi whispered in a barely audible voice. "I'm so sorry..."

Maji's breathing slowed down abruptly, slower and slower every second. And then it stopped.

"Maji," Vitani whispered, the blood drained from her face. Everyone stopped moving. "Maji, baby..." She nudged her carefully. Hexa woke up and tried to snuggle close to Maji's body. "Wake up."

Tears formed in Vitani's eyes for the third time in her entire life, and closed her mouth tight. Shegro was on his feet, looking down on the scene with a grim face, not knowing what to do. Nala's mouth was open, her sad eyes looking at Vitani, her head tilted to the side. Sarabi's face was stone and it stared at Maji, her jaw locked tight, wondering why she had failed and what had been wrong, though more sad at the loss of one of her favorite lionesse's cub. Hexa began wailing and pushing against her sister.

All of the lions inside the cave stood this way for an unknowable amount of time. Even the rest of the Pride outside could sense it, could tell that something had gone wrong, that someone was no longer alive.

Finally, Vitani rose to her feet, not looking Maji anymore, only completely ignoring her. She nudged Hexa a little harder than she should have. "Be quiet," she said harshly. Then she turned and sprinted out of the cave so quickly that no one knew she was gone.

Before she knew how far she had ran, she was past the watering hole and through the Pridelands and across the border into the Outlands. She and Shegro had come here before Vitani had begun liking him, she had lived here earlier in life with her horrid mother and brothers...

She found the biggest, old temite mound that the Outlanders used to take shelter in and looked around cautiously. She wished her mother was here. She wished Dotty and Nazari and Nuka and Kovu and Digger and all of the other Outlanders were here again. She wished she was just a little cub again, coming inside from a long and tiring day of training that her mother had damanded of her. That she had come in and found her mother and curled up against her.

She made herself see all of this in her mind. She saw the lionesses and lions cuddle up with each other to protect themselves from the cold and her mother at the top of a mound inside the larger one. Kovu was next to her, about ready to sleep. Zira looked down and spotted her young cub.

"Vitani, come," she said to her cub in a what the Outlanders would call a friendly voice. It the friendliest kind she knew. Vitani followed it and scrambled up the side of the mound gracefully for such a young cub.

"Hello, Mother," she greeted as she smiled.

"Vitani, we were just wondering when you would get back."

"I'm sorry, Mother. I had to finish my training and eat," she told her, curling next to Zira. Her mother took a paw, placed it on her head, and smoothed her bangs down.

"We missed you," Kovu said, greeting her also. "Wanna fight?"

And Vitani imagined herself fighting with her little cub brother and smiled, forgetting everything of the day. She realized now how sore she actually was, she had pushed herself to speed across the Pridelands after giving birth to two cubs, but she must have been so desperate to get away that she hadn't noticed this until she had arrived to her old home.

After the cubs' little fight, Vitani settled down to her mother, noticing now that she wasn't really there. A flash of memories of the day raced past her mind.

"I'm not going back," she whispered. "I don't want Hexa. I lost my baby. I'm not going back."

And meaning these things, she fell asleep, silently crying.

**Author's Note: Bleh, I know it's been forever, but there's SO much stuff going on lately! For example, I'm even in a play tonight. But anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! If it could be enjoyable...but stick around for the next, Kopa'll be back.**


	11. Keep Going

**5: I don't mean to get snappy or rude, but this is my story that I created about Vitani. I created Shegro, all of him accept his picture. So I can decided WHERE Shegro came from! He has NEVER left Africa! I'm pretty sure people with mohawks live in Africa, and if not, then people from America visit Africa ALL THE TIME! So STOP telling me what i want and what to do. I usually lie down for people and agree with them and do what they say when it comes to my stories, but not anymore. Please stop.**

**I don't want this to make anyone mad or lose readers, but I only put this on the story because apparently 5 does not have a user. I'm not trying to be an annoying brat.**

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 11, Keep Going

_"Vitani," whispered Kopa from up on top of another high temite mound inside the large shelter Vitani and the Outlanders had lived in for years during Zira's reign. He was perched over the edge and looking down upon his best friend, Vitani, as she slept where the Outlander queen and her children (save Nuka) slept every night and gave announcements._

_Vitani lifted her head, her bangs in her face from sleeping, and looked tiredly up at Kopa, the young cub that looked so much like the King of Priderock, his father. Vitani had no King anymore. She was a loner now, and her own ruler. She wouldn't go back to where she had once called home with her once called family._

_"Kopa?" she asked in a desperate, hopeful voice. She hadn't seen her best friend in forever. Kopa sometimes visited her in her dreams, starting when she began living in the Pridelands again. She had begun missing him, but there he was again, finally letting her see her best friend, in the most real form he could possible be to her anymore._

_"Hey, Vitani," said Kopa to her with a small smile. She felt like there was something wrong. Why could you always tell that Kopa was going to say something so...wise, before he even said anything?_

_Vitani jumped up to where her best friend was with a simple, swift movement of her muscular body (Something she had learned to do quickly when she had lived here full time) and curled up around Kopa._

_"I've missed you so much, Kopa..." said Vitani in a sad voice, truly longing for her friend. "Why did you stop visiting me?"_

_"You were happy," said Kopa simply. He looked away from her face and layed down looking at the floor of the mound._

_"Yes, I _was,_"said Vitani to him, assuring the tense._

_"Shegro loves you."_

_"I try not to think of that part."_

_"But you love him back," said Kopa, honestly._

_"I try not to think of that part either," Vitani told him quietly. She missed Shegro more than anything, other than her Kopa._

_"And Hexa," whispered Kopa. Vitani cringed and decided to ignore him, but it only lasted for a minute before she asked quietly, "How is she?"_

_"She's doing well," said Kopa shrugging. Was he trying to make her mad with his attitude? Then he said, "She's old enough now to think and talk and walk. You know that. And she misses you. She can tell."_

_Tears poured out of Vitani's eyes, though she kept completely quiet._

_"You have to go back," whispered Kopa in her ear. She snapped._

_"I cannot go back, Kopa!" she shouted at him, rising to her feet. "Maji...!" she yelled, though she couldn't think of anything else to go with this sentence._

_"Maji is being cared after now by the great Kings and Queens and other lions of the past," murmered Kopa. "Even I see her, as I am dead and gone."_

_"You...you see her?" stuttered Vitani in disbelief._

_"She speaks."_

_"What?" asked Vitani._

_"Even though she is still in the form of the youngest cub, she can think and speak with us now. We all can. We do better up there after we die. We are always filled with happiness, we are never unsatisfied with anything. We can look down on you, yes, but we are happiest up there after we die. There's no more pain or loss. Maji is fine."_

_"Does she...does she see me?" asked Vitani quietly._

_"Yes," said Kopa simply. "All the time. But she wants you to go home, she wants you to forget and get on with your life where you belong, in the Pride. She wants you to make Shegro and Hexa happy. Shegro is not doing well, Vitani, he's dying without you. You left him when his daughter left, you haven't returned. It's tearing him apart. And your Hexa needs you, too."_

_"No one can replace my Maji," whispered Vitani, still crying. _

_"Not now. But I swear to you Vitani, you will not die until you see the birth of the ones who _can_ replace Maji in the Pride."_

_"What do you mean?" asked Vitani, shaking her head slowly._

_"You will see."_

_Kopa began to fade, along with the dream. _

_"Kopa, come back! No!" she screamed, and he became visible again. _

_"Don't leave me, Kopa!"_

_"I won't be visiting you in your dreams anymore, Vitani, unless they are dreams controlled by yourself. You have to let me go. You have Shegro, you most only have a heart for him now."_

_And Vitani realized...she had always been in love with Kopa. She had known this anyway, but now it hit her like she couldn't have imagined before. Kopa had always been her one, even though the two were only cubs when they knew each other. Her heart had always been torn in two for not only her best friend, but Kopa, the one she loved so dearly. She had wanted him more than anything. But she also realized that she had Kopa, and she involuntarily nodded once._

_"Shegro's not the same though," said Vitani to Kopa._

_"No. But he's what you have. He loves you more than anything, more than you can imagine he can. You have to be there for him, him and Hexa. If you think about it hard enough, it won't be so hard to drop me," said Kopa._

_"But I don't want to 'drop you!'" yelled Vitani._

_"It's what's best Vitani, you can't keep living your life in love with me. It couldn't work out if you tried," said Kopa wisely and even though she didn't want to, Vitani realized he was right. "You can always remember me as your best friend, I'll always be in your heart, but just in a different way," he nuzzled her against her chest and backed away. "I'll see you again someday, Vitani," he told her, and she yelled after him even though she knew he was right. She calmed herself and stood, watching him fade. _

_"Goodbye, Kopa," she whispered, and saw a smile from what was left of Kopa. "I love you."_

_And he was gone for the last time._

**Author's Note: I hope this was a good chapter. Not too sure what all to say about it, but please review!**


	12. Going Back

**5**: **Yes, Kopa is dead. :(**

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 12, Going Back

She woke abruptly, and the tears began to flow, though she made no noise or movement. She stayed on her side, waiting for the tears to stop coming, but they didn't. The air began getting a bit warmer, and after what seemed like eternity, though only an hour, the tears stopped coming. Vitani stood, wondering how long her feet would hold her. She had no more strength left in her, and she could tell she was dangerously sick.

Vitani placed a paw in front of her body in the first motion of walking, and the world began to spin around her. Her muscles tensed and she braced herself though she was only standing. What was so wrong that Vitani had become so sick?

Then she realized that the whole time she had been gone from the Pride, she had not eaten. It had at least been two weeks.

She had not had any feelings of hunger at all the whole time she had been in the Outlands, and she still didn't, it was replaced with a new feeling of sickness and such a lack of energy that she could barely move. But she had to. Shegro and Hexa needed her badly.

Kopa wanted her to.

So she tried again. She braced herself, her muscles even more, and took another horrible step. She had no idea how she was going to make this work at all. But she kept going, no matter how fast the world was now spinning or how painful the aching and weakness now threatened to kill her. Soon she was out of the termite mound and into the brightness.

She pushed herself somehow through the rough dryness of the Outlands and across the border into the familiar Pridelands. There was a different feeling when she stepped over the line that divided the two lands, though it was barely noticable because of the sick feeling.

Vitani only made it a few feet across the border before the sickness became too overwhelming and she fell over onto the ground, blacking out completely.

It was early afternoon before she woke again, though she could tell that at least three days had passed. _Great, nearly two and a half weeks since food, _she thought. Now she was even weaker and was beginning to feel like she couldn't breath. She felt a faint vibration in her legs, and knew what was coming.

She stretched her head as far away from her body as possible and threw up. She couldn't imagine what there even _was _to throw up, but she couldn't focuse on anything more than a few seconds and finally gave up trying to understand this, her head was hurting so bad.

_Where are the patrols? _she thought to herself. Prideland patrols always happened around the whole of the savanna every day. They should have found her by now. _Why can't I just die?_

Then she remembered a few of Kopa's words: "Vitani, you will not die until you-" and that was all she had in her memory. She tried her hardest to remember what the rest of the sentence was, but simply couldn't, so again, she gave up.

After hours of daylight, Vitani realized that since she apparently 'could not die until something' that there was no point in just laying there. She attemped once more to get up and walk. She collapsed back to the ground again.

_HELP ME!_ her mind screamed to someone, and through her anger and frustration, Vitani rose to her feet with a new sort of energy, and again moved. She placed feet in front of the others and began moving quickly, even into a running pace.

_I have to do this,_ she kept saying in her mind loudly. _I have to keep going! I have to do this! _

At last, when the world's spinning was at its greatest speed, Vitani fell to the ground and looked up, finally seeing Priderock a feet from her body. She tried to move, to speak, but nothing happened. She blacked out again.

Finally, Vitani's eyes opened to see somehow she was being carried by many lions. It was like having a vision, she only saw flashes of this happening, but she could remember it and also hear them talking worriedly.

Body heat. That's what Vitani could feel on her flank, shoulder, neck, and cheek. Her eyes flickered open weakly and she could see Shegro, though somewhere in her mind she already knew that it was him.

_Shegro!_

At once, Vitani realized everything that Kopa had told her was completely true. She _did_ have a whole other heart of its own just for him, to love only him. She saw now that if he wasn't here with her that she would be an empty nothingness, she wouldn't _ be_ at all. Shegro completed her life, she needed him like she needed food and water and air.

She pushed her head into his shoulder hard and the tears started coming heavily. She didn't even want to try and stop them this time, they were somehow nescessary for this situation.

"Shegro!" she whispered loudly, still nudging him in the shoulder.

He woke with a jump and gave her a look of disbelief and worry. It was nearly a crazy look on his face.

"Vitani! Are you okay?" he said, nearly shouting at her. He was now crying too.

"I'm fine Shegro! I have you, don't I?" she exclaimed to him.

"I thought I was going to lose you, Vitani! I thought you wouldn't wake up again! I though you were going to die!" he said harshly. "How could you leave me? And our _daughter_?" he added with emphasis on the word 'daughter'. She suddenly felt ashamed, though she could tell she was still extremely weak and ill.

"I lost Maji, Shegro, we both did," she said sadly. "I didn't know what to...I thought I was going to burst, I thought I would die! The pain was so bad, I had no choice but to run, I couldn't _be _here anymore!" She didn't know what else to say to him.

"It's okay," said Shegro loudly in such a forgiving voice it was hard to imagine the change in such a brief period of time, from extreme anger and worry to such forgiveness and loving. He pressed himself to her and the two were still crying.

**Author's Note: Ummm...not much to say for this one except I hope you understood everything alright and will continue onto the next chapter. Please review!**


	13. The Truth

A Heart's New Beginning-Chapter 13, The Truth

The lions and lionesses had brought fresh kill to Vitani immediately on Simba's orders, and of course because they cared for her all the same, and she scarfed down the food quickly, surprised at how she even had an appetite at all. She would have figured she woudn't have wanted any, but apparently she did. She felt so much better only moments later, though still very weak and sick. But she knew she would be better in not very much time.

Two days after she had awoken at Priderock, the whole Pride beside Shegro had gone out patrolling and hunting. Vitani and Shegro sat quietly together, Vitani rethinking her first encounter with Hexa, her daughter, who was now a strong young cub like she had once been.

Hexa had walked into the cave inside Priderock a little beside and behind Sarabi. Sarabi, Nala, and Dotty had both been caring for her, but so had the rest of the loving Pride, mainly including Nazari and Kiara.

No one knew what to say. Hexa looked shy and stayed hidden behind Sarabi as the eldest lioness stopped in front of Vitani, nodding to her. Finally, after much anxious peeking around Sarabi, she bounded over to Vitani, nuzzling her under her chin and crying. Vitani began crying too. She had failed at being motherly, having leaving her and Shegro behind. But her precious daughter still loved her.

"I love you, Hexa," whispered Vitani to her daughter, and she looked up at her.

"I love you too, Mommy," she said in such a perfect little voice to Vitani, that Vitani kept crying.

"I look like you," said Hexa simply as she looked Vitani over.

"You're beautiful!" whispered Vitani like any mother would with their child. Only that Vitani was just realizing now how perfect and pure her child was.

"Are you bragging?" asked Hexa as she giggled. _She's got humor! _thought Vitani.

"Yes," joked Vitani along with her and Hexa laughed and snuggled up with her mother again, this time knowing that the two weren't separating any time soon.

"Vitani!" shouted Shegro and Vitani turned to him in an extremely startled manner.

"WHAT?" she yelled, scared, and for some reason her voice got really loud and Shegro cringed.

"Nothing, I just thought you'd gone deaf or something, you weren't answering..." said Shegro slowly, dropping his sentence off more and more as it neared its end. He frowned at her.

"Oh..." was all Vitani could say as she looked down at the ground shamefully. Then she looked up in rememberance. "What did you need?"

He looked at her warily and bit his bottom lip.

"I just wanted to ask...about Kopa. I've heard a lot about him lately and...you mention him in your sleep a lot," said Shegro. Vitani's first thought was, "Oh great, now everyone in the Pride has heard me mumbling about Kopa," but then she realized the seriousness of the matter and that she was talking to_ Shegro_. About _Kopa._

"Umm..." she said warily. "What do you...want to know?" Her sentences usually got spacey when she didn't know what to say.

"About the two of you. You're childhood together. And the truth," he said. It didn't sound harsh when he asked her for the truth, and it didn't sound like he was accusing her for telling lies or anything. He just whispered it.

Vitani gulped, then sighed, then took a deep breath.

"I don't know where to begin," she told him. He didn't say anything back. She rolled her eyes and figured she'd have to do this all on her own without his help. "Kopa was Simba and Nala's first child. We were best friends when we were just cubs."

"We were really close, kind of like when Kovu and Kiara had just met, how they seemed to be so close even though they had only met once when they were little. We always played and trained together, and you'd think we were siblings." _Or soul-mates_, she added to herself. "We were hardly ever separtated, only at night when we split up to sleep where our parents slept. Of course my father was dead, so it was just me and Mother and Nuka." Vitani saw all of these memories flashing before her eyes, so real and much more alive than she had ever thought of them, like they were really all happening over again. Of course, she had never let herself think about them after-

"One day, the two of us were playing because we didn't have to train. We ran off, as fast as we could, because we loved running more than anything, the breeze in our fur and the way our muscles looked when we did, and the sound of our paws hitting the ground..." Vitani could see the memories so clearly. She smiled widely and thought back to those wonderful days that she so longed for now. "We didn't realize how far we had gone until we saw we were in the Outlands."

"We turned to go back home, but somehow we had gotten lost," continued Vitani, frowning. She swallowed. "We were on a cliff with dry, hard ground below."

"I don't remember how it happened. All the years I try and think about it, I still can never tell, no matter how hard I try and remember. But somehow, Kopa fell over the edge. He was hanging on, and I screamed, and I tried my hardest to help him up, but I made him slip more..."

Now Vitani's voice was reduced to a whisper.

"He screamed the whole way down. He fell in slow motion. I watched his face, of...of terror. I'll _never_ forget the look on it." Tears rolled out of her eyes. And she would never forget the current look on Shegro's face, either.

"I made my way as carefully and quickly down the rocks as I could. I finally reached him after what seemed like forever and I layed down by him. He was barely breathing, and not exactly awake, either. I remember I was crying a lot."

"Mother had heard the scream. She had been assigned when she was young to be the inspecter of the Outlands. She was a strong lioness, and very...sneaky. She had a brilliant, clever mind. That's why it was her job to look the Outlands over everyday, so that if there were any lions trying to sneak in, she could fight them off and notify the Pridelanders." Vitani sighed deeply and continued whispering.

"She came to our aid and saw Kopa lying there, bloody and deranged," Vitani said as her voice cracked on the last word, and looked up at the ceiling, trying to focus on the stone rather than the bloody and deranged imagine of Kopa that she had never gotten out of her brain.

"I don't know how I knew. I was just a cub, but I sounded so...wise. I knew what was best. At least I thought I did," she told Shegro, and now she was reliving the moment all over again, no longer sitting in the cave she now called home, or beside her Shegro at all.

"Mother, finish it. Make it be over," said Vitani in her little cub voice, now choked up from the tears in her throat as well as her eyes. "Fix him," she said, and somehow knew that what she was asking her mother to do to Kopa was indeed healing him from pain and everything else. She knew somewhere deep down that...he would never live again anway.

And it was so easy for Zira.

Just a simple and quick swipe of her paw. She did hesitate and take a deep breath, knowing how much trouble this could cause. And seeing how innocent and small the cub was. How could she kill him? But she also knew as well as Vitani did that this would be best for the cub. She felt no revenge in pulse through her veins, no thought of satisfaction or victory in killing Kopa. Just helping. Though her mind was crooked and disturbed, she only felt like helping the poor thing. And it was just a simple and quick swipe of her paw...

Kopa awake just before the claws reached his throat, and looked up with large, shocked, though weak eyes, at Vitani. They were so much older, so much more mature than a cubs. They were filled with longing, and pain, and love, all directed towards the beautiful young cub he loved so dearly. He wanted to be there with her, he knew she would suffer without him, and he didn't want this. He didn't care about death, only her own pain.

Vitani watched his eyes so carefully and closely though they only remained on her for a fraction of a second, but it seemed like eternity. She saw all of their memories and feelings flash through slowly, even though they were so young and only had few of them. But they were real, and they were strong.

"From that point, to when we got banished to the Outlands, I have no memory," said Vitani. After she unknowingly told this story to Shegro, (All except the part with the eyes) not knowing she had even managed to get the words out because she had been so caught up with the story itself, Vitani had closed her eyes and bowed her head forward, full of pain and sadness, for many moments, until she spoke to him again.

"I only remember Mother carrying Kopa's dead body, so bloody, into the cave here and setting him at Simba and Nala's feet. Nala screamed and cried and Simba let a few tears out before I could tell how his anger took over all of his emotions. He nearly killed Mother and me, I was standing crouched low behind her, my eyes on Kopa the whole time. Then I could nearly read his mind, I knew he thought we would suffer a slow and painful death if we lived in the Outlands, and also that he knew he couldn't kill a cub as Mother had. Because she was pregnant with Kovu at the time."

"And Mother was dragging me backwards quickly by the scruff of my neck. I screamed only once, and looked at my Kopa for the rest of the time I could. I remember the last second I saw his tiny body around the corner of the cave entrance. His perfect golden fur."

**Author's Note: There you go. There's the story of Kopa and Vitani, I'm sure many of you will object or have other opinions, but this is my side, so I hope you enjoyed. Please review.**


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